Microscope slides are commonly used to view samples of material under a microscope. The samples may contain human tissue, and may require treatment such as staining, so that properties of the sample can be identified. Other materials such as DNA, RNA, or proteins may be included on the slide.
It is common for several reactions to be undertaken on a sample on a slide. Once the reactions have taken place the slide may be viewed under a microscope. Performing the reactions on the slide can be difficult to automate, as the tissue samples require careful preparation and certain reactions require carefully controlled environments.